Smudged With Tears
by Yukigumo Fujiya
Summary: Ciel chances upon a nightmare, a demon, a risk of losing nothing that was everything to him.
1. Prologue

**Well hello. :D It seems somebody has bothered to come and read this after all! As the summary would have told you, this is set before Kuoshituji II where Ciel becomes a demon and stuff like that. :D Just treat this as a filler or something, I don't know. I hope you enjoy it. ^^**

**Oh and by the way, this is just the prologue. :D The chapters will be a lot longer than this. I assure you.**

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><p>Well then, have a good rest Bocchan. I shall begin preparations for tomorrow." His loyal servant bowed, gloved hand on his chest, before departing from the room and leaving Ciel in the hands of his bed. He was tired after the entire day of negotiations with pathetically retarded businessmen who tried to take advantage of his age, and their opinion, immature stupidity. He closed his eyes for a few moments, before reopening them again.<p>

He could not fall asleep, he realised, after a long while of lying in his bed fully conscious. He took a deep breath and tried to fall asleep once again. This time, however, he drifted into a shallow slumber strangely fast, almost abnormally. By the time he would have realised it he was already fast asleep.

Or was it really just a suspension of consciousness?

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><p><strong>Okay, so that was really short. O3O oh well, considering the fact that this is a prologue... I would expect the first chapter to come out soon, seeing how laggy this computer is. XD Please review. :D I normally discontinue stories that don't have many reviews. ._. Blame my unnecessary love for them. Haha. :D<strong>


	2. A dream

**Heehee. There you go, chapter 1. :D have fun. Hope you like it.**

**I don't own Kuroshitsuji. :D I'm not worthy of owning it. T-T**

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><p>There was a long, seemingly neverending road stretched out in front of him, cutting though a vast, dry field. Far away, where the sky touched the frozen earth, a beautiful shade of azure, much to the young Phantomhive's liking. However, he found himself disconcerted by the seemingly ugly spots of snow clouds spanning the sky; like a thin, blotchy and uneven layer of cheap paint. It tainted the would-have-been clear blue sky, ruined the glorious sheet of silky blue.<p>

Other than this, he was happy that there was no noise, or almost none. He very much disliked man-made noises like the groaning horse carriages, drilling, hammering, haggling voices; all of which he had no choice but to hear every day. The young man had a fondness for silence thick enough to hear his own quiet footsteps, to the point where he could hear his own breathing; often imagining himself in such silence, he would be in a dimly lit room where it seemed as if he were the only existence in the world.

Seeing nothing else to do, he started to walk down the long road, unwinding and straight for miles on end. He wondered for a long time where it led to, or if it would even end for that matter. He wondered, if he just kept walking, never stopping, would he end up in the same place as before? He would not be able to tell, though. Everything looked the same, for it was just a frozen plain field and a road, nothing more.

Although it was an open space, his footsteps echoed clearly in his ears, as if he was in an enclosed space. For some reason he did not find this peculiar, not that he found any of it to be. His breaths of water vapour gathered in a cloud before him, he observed, and did not disappear as it normally did, as he walked. He stopped in his tracks, taking deep breaths of the cold air, blowing into the whirl of mist that gradually grew larger. He continued puffing like a child now, with the intense urge to watch how big the cloud could get, until all of a sudden he found himself trapped in a fog so thick he could hardly see anywhere ahead of him.

He stopped puffing and took one step forward, listening to the now much louder, flat 'click' of his stiff shoes, while mildly shivering and hugging his coat closer as the cold started to seep through his clothes. He continued walking, the fog growing thicker and thicker until it felt as if he were embedded in a wall, if this was even possible. Only then did Ciel ask himself logical questions like how he got there, why he was there, when he had gotten there, and what time it was. At the question of time he was about to turn to Sebastian to ask for the time, only to realise his faithful butler and his pocket watch were not there beside him. This question, although the last, was quite the opposite of the least. A twinge of fear got to the young Earl for a moment, but it faded quickly. This was Sebastian they were talking about, Ciel thought, in an attempt to comfort himself.

_He's Sebastian, There's no way he won't be okay._

Lost in these thoughts of his, he was abruptly brought back to his conscious senses by footsteps already very close to him. The boy turned around, in slight shock of the closeness of these footsteps that he could and should have noted so much longer ago.

When he turned around, his strained eyes made out a faint, blurred shadow. It appeared to be a human body, upright with arms and legs and all. It was tall and slender, with messy hair and odd protrusions on its back and ankles. Ciel first thought them to be strange growths, but they could just have been things the person was carrying.

This shadow got clearer as it approached. The protrusions were indeed growths, _wings _for that matter. Some string-like thing that he caught a glimpse or two of might have been a tail, but he didn't dare be too sure.

As Ciel was about to get an even clearer view of the stranger, it stopped for moment before disappearing, reappearing behind the boy. His eyes widened in shock, and his instincts told him it was dangerous, told him to run. But his off-guard senses were unmatched to the inhumane creature, who had gripped onto his shoulder. Although not strong, it was enough to prevent the young Phantomhive from running.

In frustration, Ciel cursed under his breath as he tried to break free, but to no avail.

"Who are you? Let me go. Now." Ciel demanded in a forced, failure of a calm tone. Where had his firm, steadfast self gone? Why was he so shaken by some stranger grabbing hold of him? He was indefinitely taken aback by his fear for this shadow, for it was just a shadow.

_It wasn't just a shadow. It was a shadow of something._

He had no good reason to be afraid. There was nothing that indicated that he was in any real danger of this thing. Then again, there was nothing that proved he was not. Still, why did his breath feel so abnormally heavy in his chest, why was his voice so dreadfully scared and weak? Sebastian would honour his oath, the faustian contract than marked the back of his hand. It was because of this fact that Ciel never once felt fear from the bottom of his heart.

_If so, why was he so unsure of his faithful butler coming to his rescue this time?_

"I am Lacias. Thank you for coming, Ciel Phantomhive-dono."

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><p><strong>ASDFGHJKL. :D first chapter doneee. XD Shoo. Off you go to chapter 2. It should be there. :)<strong>

**REEEEEEVVIIIIIEEEEWWWWW WHEN YOU'RE DOOOOONEEEEEE. :DDDD**


	3. The Stranger

**Well, I wrote chapter 1 and 2 together, and the prologue, so yeaahh. :) Mehehe. enjoy~**

**I do not own Kuroshitsuji. But I own Lacias. 3 haha.**

**Okay.**

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><p>Ciel was hit by a particularly strong gust of wind from the owner of the voice, which was deep and penetrating- a man's. It gripped his soul and seemed to squish it up with its coldness, much like the first time Ciel had spoken to his demon butler. The resemblance frightened him more, enough to crack his thin poker face.<p>

A large part of the fog around the both of them was promptly swept away by the wet breeze where Ciel, who had been facing down, could once again see a small portion of greyish, dead grass and the damp, black tar road.

The younger slowly looked back up when the stranger called Lacias removed his hand from the former's shoulder. Ciel wanted to run away so badly, but his legs were immobilised, his eyes glued on to the monster before him. He was very tall, Ciel first noted, with a long crescent of spiked, snow white hair reaching to somewhere around his ankles; nestled in between two majestic white bat wings, and bright, glowing crimson eyes. When he looked into these luminous eyes, something deep inside him jolted at the memory of first meeting Sebastian, where he found the same pair of shining crimson eyes staring at him. When the corners of Ciel's eyes saw movement somewhere further below, he pried his eyes off the other's and looked down at what appeared to be a long, thin tail.

The thing donned human clothes- a white shirt with a thin, red tie the same shade as his eyes, tucked under a slightly darker coat with long, squarish coat tails that looked like they were flapping gently although he was quite sure that there had not been a trace of a breeze ever since the first gust of wind. The person, Ciel finally decided was okay to call it, since it was more humanoid than not, scared the latter with his great resemblance to Sebastian. His aura, his eyes, his voice, although heard only once, so deep and penetrating and unnaturally smooth.

After Ciel had taken in all of this, he became aware of the awkward silence. He ould hear his own deep breathing, and a noisy gulp which he instantly regretted when he heard a soft, mocking cough from Lacias.

"What are you?" Ciel asked flatly, his voice noticeably hoarser and dry.

"A demon." Came the reply

Ciel was stunned by his straightforwardness, much unlike Sebastian, whom Ciel was now unconsciously comparing him to. This directness was so sudden that Ciel thought it was just all a ridiculous prank anyway, seeing him say it with that crooked smile on his face. Perhaps him saying that he was a demon was just pure coincidence, and that this ridiculous getup was all just some huge joke. Yes, it had to be.

"Huh. Yeah right. Seriously." Ciel said, managing to pull off an acceptable, but not entirely convincing sceptical tone.

"What. You believe Sebastian's a demon but you don't believe me?" The stranger snorted with indignance. "Sebastian isn't the only demon in the world you know, like how you're not the only human alive."

His blunt answer took Ciel by surprise again. It was clear that this was not a joke. It was clear that this person was a demon just like Sebastian. But, wait, how did he know Sebastian was a demon? He did not understand despite how clear it was made to him. His brain rejected the thought of another demon other than Sebastian.

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked, his voice evidently softer.

"I'm saying, there are as many demons as there are humans, and I'm just one of them."

It was true, though, that Sebastian was not the only demon in the world. Ciel accepted this superficially, not wanting to appear thick, although deeper inside he was still in defiance.

"How did I get here?" Ciel questioned again, this time his voice louder and steadier, like how it always was.

"Why? Hmmm… Let's just say you came upon my calling." Lacias smirked, giving a flamboyant flick of his tail as he said this.

Ciel now had another blank look, regretting ever asking that question. Now, scraps of information that he didn't believe although he had no reason to was piling up in a mountain in front of his brain processor. Upon his call… Ciel had been summoned?

"You're acting as if you could never be at anybody's calling," Lacias scoffed, swishing his tail. "I understand that you are indeed, Ciel Phantomhive-_sama_," Ciel winced at the emphasis on the formality. "But you are human too. And, in case you didn't know, demons are not the only things that are, and can be summoned."

The ostentatious character curled his tail around Ciel's wrist and flounced away, dragging him along into the thick fog ahead. Ciel could not see much, and allowed himself to be dragged very unceremoniously behind. He wondered if Sebastian knew where he was, if he was on his way to save him from whoever this person was, wherever that place was.

"Hey," Lacias said inquiringly to Ciel. "You haven't asked me something I thought you'd be most baffled about."

He got a scathing look in return, to which the demon swiftly returned with a wide smile.

As they swished around, although moving forwards nonetheless, the fog thinned, until they reached a clearing. This clearing, although Ciel expected the same, long road, they were at a big, white space. There was the same fog around them for miles, but where there was no fog, it was clear, and they stood on a white, shiny floor, spotlessly clean.

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><p><strong>TADAA! :D Chapter 2. ^^ hope you liked it. REMEMBER TO REVIEW! :D If you don't I might stop here. T-T and then you will NEVER get to know what happens next. YAHAHA! That is, if you <em>do <em>care what's going to happen next. :3 byeeeee. :D**


	4. His Mocking Laughter

**Pfffft. Here's another chapter. I wonder how long this will be. Oh well. It depends on how long I have on the com. :) I wish has like this 'views' or 'reads' thing, so that I know actually how many people are actually following this. :D lol. but. whatever. Enough chitchat from me. Here's chapter 3~**

NOOOT. :D disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji and anything in it. ._. Hmph. However I do own Lacias. :)

Okay, now it's really Chapter 3. :) Who reads Author's Notes, really, I'd like to know. XD

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><p>"What was that you expected me to ask you about?" Ciel instituted.<p>

The white haired demon did not respond for a few moments, before laughing softly and sitting down on the floor.

"I guess an arrogant brat like you wouldn't even have thought of asking this. It was carelessness on my part, treating you like a normal child."

Ciel scowled at his comment; but it was true, he had to admit yet again. He was not a normal child. He was the head of the world's biggest toy-making companies, a depressing orphan who never smiled, a child who held a contract with a demon.

"You must be, or have been wondering why you've been feeling so insecure, and, might I say _scared _most of this while." Lacias chuckled, turning his head halfway around to look at the baffled child behind him. His long tail hung loosely from his guest's wrist, who had, since they stopped, not taken notice of its existence. Amused by Ciel's attempt to appear unwavered, he turned back around and sighed, flicking his tail away from the former's wrist.

Hearing no response, Lacias continued, appearing somewhat lonely. "This is your dream, or rather, my dream."

Still no response.

"As I told you just now, you came here upon my calling."

A slight pause in breathing, but Ciel still remained wordless.

"You have been called into this dream of mine. In other words, we're having the same dream, which is my dream."

This time Ciel was quiet because he was he was completely thunderstruck. He had no idea what this demon was saying, although it was all starting to make sense to him, having more than an idea of what was going on, but remaining in the same kind of denial that the man was a demon earlier before.

"Do you remember abruptly dropping off to sleep? Before that when you were having so much difficulty keeping your eyes closed."

Ciel's mind was reeling in how perfectly everything seemed to fit together, although it seemed so very impossible.

"_That _was when I fell asleep, and when I called you into this dream of mine."

Ciel was stunned, eyes dilated. He felt so scared, so confused, as if he had no trace of a clue what was going on although he knew everything that was going on there and then.

"So when you're in my dream," Lacias continued, breaking Ciel's short reverie. "I call the shots. I choose who comes in here and who doesn't. This is a dream, a separate universe, where in this case nothing exists but this place and you and me."

Silence.

"And when I say nothing, this includes your dear butler Sebastian."

More silence.

"And when Sebastian does not exist in this world, the only place when he does is in your memory," Lacias said with his now, more normal sly tone. "And your memory isn't exactly the most realistic thing there is, is it? Like how in the real world that you live in your parents are a mere memory. How these mere memories of them are clouded by your house up in flames."

Ciel jolted at the mention of his parents, or rather the death of them. More questions popped out in his mind. How did this demon know so much about him? How did he know that both his parents were dead? How did he know how they died? How did he know about Sebastian? How did he know who in the world he was and everything about him?

"You must be wondering," Lacias paused strategically, "how I know all of this."

Ciel was in utter disbelief by now.

"You're feeling especially scared and touchy now aren't you? Now you know there's absolutely no way Sebastian, or anybody for that matter, would be here to rescue you." Lacias was poking fun at Ciel's mind that was underway of being destroyed by torrents of nightmares. He did not understand why, how, this was happening. Nothing.

"Oh well, the night is short. You have to go. Sebastian will be coming to wake you up in a few minutes. I'll see you sometime soon," Lacias said, getting up and turning around, bowing to Ciel and snapping his fingers.

As more wisps of fog enveloped Ciel and obscured the demon from view, he heard a loud, echoing voice chortling.

"The next time we meet, Ciel, we shall get to that contract between you and I, shall we not?"

The snickering continued till they were no more, with Ciel's shouts becoming voiceless for a few moments, before he felt something soft against his back.

Sebastian was about to open his Young Master's door to wake him for the day when he heard a disturbing shout from inside, its voice no doubt was his master's. He hurriedly opened the door to see Ciel upright on his bed, covered in sweat, left eye dilated, and right eye ebony black.

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><p><strong>There ye go. :D hahahahaaa. XD I guess this wasn't as short as I thought it would be after all. :) teehee. REMEMBER TO REVIEW! :DDDD If you wanna make my day then I'd like to see my inbox FULLLLLL with review alerts. XD That would be great. :DDD<strong>

**Thanks for reading, by the way. :) I really appreciate it. :D **


	5. Waking Up

**AHOOOY! :D Back with a new chapter. I'm afraid that the next chapter won't be out till next next week... :L But it would be next next tuesday, or monday, most probably. Curse my final years. *sigh***

Shiroi Hoshi found out about me liking Sid... Or rather I told her. :D You'd know what I'm talking about if you read or have read my profile. Psh. She doesn't even know of this account I have. :D

Much thanks to LovelyWickedDescet, my lovely, detailed reviewer, and Promocat, my loyal reviewer, and Masaki4everDead, my enthusiastic reviewer. XD Masaki's death saddens me though, if you're talking about Kurosaki Ichigo's mother.

Also, thank you for adding this on favourites and alerts! 3

Also, I'd like to know if you guys want to know what the chapter titles mean, since they're all in spanish. XD I apologise if there had been any incovenience caused.

Without further ado, I present to you chapter 4, the last chapter for the next 14 days or so.

I do not own Kuroshitsuji. My soul is too free of devastation, revenge and sadness to attract any demon for a butler.

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><p>"Bocchan, are you okay?" Sebastian asked, a worried tone showing very evidently in his voice.<p>

"I'm... Fine," Ciel said apprehensively.

"Bocchan, your eye." Sebastian pointed out without hesitance. Seeing Ciel's questioning expression of a response, he knew that Ciel did not have a clue that the faustian contract embedded in his eye was gone. Sebastian drew an ornate mirror from somewhere, Ciel did not see. He heard a vague opening of his bedside drawer though.

As he peered into the mirror, into his eye, he saw the empty black eye of his, the contract no longer there.

"Sebastian. Hold out your hand without your glove." Ciel demanded. Sebastian did so wordlessly, pulling his glove nimbly off with his teeth. The back of his hand had a patch of black that looked like ink spreading out over a sheet on rice paper. Ciel's eyes widened even more at this, while Sebastian's, on the contrary, had narrowed.

The two pairs of eyes, the larger one in particular, continued roving around the back of Sebastian's hand, the black, ink-like patch showing no sign of fading whatsoever.

"Sebastian. I order you to tell me what is going on." Ciel said shakily, feeling the same uneasy chill in his spine as he did in that dream.

_The dream. _He had completely forgotten about it.

"Unfortunately, bocchan, I haven't the slightest clue. My utmost apologies." Sebastian said in a remorseful tone for once. However, Ciel had not taken note of this rare tone of Sebastian's, nor did he realise his even rarer admittance of not having the slightest clue of anything.

Sebastian, of course, did have a mind of the cause of this. He found it however, too absurd to be true.

"Could this, by any chance, have been the work of another demon?"

The absurd possibility , Ciel had hit the nail on the head. However, the only demon Sebastian knew who could have been capable of putting a barrier over a human and demon's contract was one by the name of Lacias, who had supposedly been imprisoned in hell for eternity.

"No, master. I am afraid that there is no existence I know of that is capable of putting, what I recognise as a barrier, on human-demon contracts other than one that has been sentenced eternal imprisonment by the name of Alejandro Lacias."

"Lacias...?" Ciel repeated the name, sounding familiar, aloud to himself. He recalled the name of the demon in his dream to be exactly that. The name echoed inhis mind, his last words playing along in tandem.

_"The next time we meet, Ciel, we shall get to that contract between you and I, shall we not?"_

_What contract?  
>He couldn't possibly have any contract.<br>_He already had one with Sebastian.

"Bocchan, do you know him?" Sebastian asked, with the obvious concern he had shown when the conversation first started.

Ciel remained silent for a long while, and so did Sebastian in wait for a voiced reply already conveyed in the dead air.

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><p><strong>Utmost apology for the incredible shortness of this chapter. T-T Really. I'll give you nice, long chapters once I'm back, ^^ But for now, I'll have to start mugging for my exams. *cries*<br>**  
><strong>Yeah... And I guess that's it. :) REMEMBER TO REVIEW! SERIOUSLY! WHEN I COME BACK NEXT NEXT MONDAY(109) OR TUESDAY(11/9) I WANT TO SEE 10 REVIEWS~ XDDD *not gonna happen***

**kbye. Love you gais. *hugs***


	6. Painful Memories

**It's 4.40 AM right now, and I'm supposed to be mugging for my exams but I decided to come on to add this chapter. Apparently I've already the next like, 4 chapters. So yeah. :) I'm not hyper as usual though, I mean, really. It's 4.40 am.**

**I don't own Kuroshitsuji. Pft.**  
><strong>I am doubting the number of readers I have.<strong>  
><strong>The reviews are depressing.<strong>  
><strong>But I still love my reviewers. :)<strong>

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><p>"The next time I go to sleep, you sleep too." Ciel breathed absentmindedly to his butler, who had withdrawn his hand and pulled his glove over the disturbing patch of black.<p>

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian answered, newly-gloved hand placed delicately over his chest.

"Would you like your breakfast now, then? I have managed to prepare Earl Grey tea and blueberry scones for you today..." Sebastian's words trailed off when he realised his young master had not been listening to him; probably thinking that technically, their contract was no longer existent. The black ink had cut off every trace of the Faustian contract's existence. Nobody would have any memory, or would ever have known of this contract of theirs. It had simply been completely erased from the entire universe except for the parties involved in the contract itself.

If he was thinking that, Sebastian would have been reluctant to have admitted that it was all true if asked. It annoyed him a lot more than just a little, although he made a perfect job of hiding it.

Ciel had been thinking somewhere along the lines of the truth, and came to the same conclusion as Sebastian knew it to be. He asked his butler if putting such a barrier over a contract meant that, and to this Sebastian did not speak, merely nodding solemnly.

"Which means now I'll be seen as a free soul," Ciel related. This reply, and the uncaring tone it was said with, sounded fleetingly painful to Sebastian. Ciel's soul was no longer his, the Faustian contract now as good as gone. The young lord, although appearing composed, found himself at the beginning stages of the same fear he had felt in his dream again. His stomach flipped a couple of times, pushing even more nauseousness into his gut. He hid it well, though. He had been through more than being just unbelievably scared.

Or had he?

All his life he had been protected one way or another. When he was little, the era of his happy smiles, he had his parents. Now they were gone, it was for the transient moment when he is later being sold, his calling him "rare" and worth more than two people. Money exchanges in hands, and his new owners brand him, giving him the mark of a "noble beast". He remembers his unsightly cries, that he was hurt and dirty and he wanted to go home, naively thinking he still had one to go to. He was chained in a cage like a dog, while masked adults looked on, remarking about what a splendid evening they were going to have. Ciel distinctly remembers wondering sadly, why no one is there to help him.

One of the masked adults then placed him on a table for his sacrifice and he was stabbed, while other adults looked on gleefully, clapping.

Memories of his intense fright plagued him, profuse prayers that his parents would return and push these people away from him, these prayers, after the first billow of pain, for anybody to take him away from there. But, as soon as the scalding metal touched his skin and burnt it, he realised that nobody would save him. HIs parents were never coming back. They were dead. So was Sebastian, his dog. Nobody else who was capable of saving him knew he was there, nobody would ever hear his cries but those who loved them and wanted more. In that time Ciel had absolutely nothing, not even his name, or a life.

He was so alone, but it was only evanescent. Before long, Sebastian had responded to his desperate, unsightly cries. He had been saved, and ever since then he had been protected once again, the only things lost, his smile and family. He clung on to sworn revenge and lived with purpose once more. Although there was no longer the warmth of his family once again, he was not lost anymore.

At least Elizabeth didn't die, Ciel once thought, but it did not bring a lot of comfort. Not as much as he needed at least.

But now, he felt scared again. He felt as if he had nothing again. Although Sebastian would, no doubt, continue taking his orders, there was no longer anything that guaranteed this, that bound them either of them to each other. There was no promise such as the Faustian contract, and Sebastian could turn his back on him, and so could he.

"Bocchan," Sebastian started quietly. "I will not leave your side. Revenge is yours and your soul is mine. Even if this oath ceases to burn on my hand as you move me, your pawn, I will still be here, protecting you, my king, till the day all the black pawns have vanished from the playing board."

His young master knew there was no way Sebastian would abandon him, but it was just that there was no reassurance, or guarantee. Anything could happen. Just as how he never got the chance to sleep in the same bed as his mother, listen to her telling him a bedtime story, singing him into sweet slumber. Just as how he had run through his mother, upon his mother and dog's motionless bodies, and then his father, charred in his seat, and Tanaka, attacked from behind, despite the countless times he had made his mother promise that he would be able to sleep on he bed on his birthday night.

Ravaged with the memories, he could only nod in response to Sebastian's reassurance.

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><p><strong>It's 5.30 AM now... How nice. ._. I feel guilty about not studying. *sigh* Oh well. At least you got a chapter earlier than I promised. Pft. <strong>

**Remember to review! :) Please. If you're actually reading this.**


	7. The Day Is Short

**HA! I. AM. BACK. Heh... My exams were. Uh. Okay I guess. Pft. Nye. Oh well. Let's get on with the next chapter.  
><strong>

**I do not own Kuroshitsuji. Not any part of it. Just this fanfic. :)  
><strong>

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><p>With that, Sebastian checked his pocket watch, to find that they were 15 minutes off schedule. However, it did not really matter anymore because he had been planning to cancel the day's meetings and work for his master. It was not like Ciel was capable of anything up to scratch in that state of mind.<p>

"Bocchan, please have your breakfast, while I go cancel today's meetings for you so you can take a rest." Sebastian said, gesturing to the scones and Earl Grey tea.

"I can still go for the meetings. It's been arranged since a month ago, cancelling it would make us look bad. Don't bother." Ciel muttered audibly.

"Even if so, today's clients are not especially important," Sebastian insisted. "I'd much rather cancel these meetings than have you go meet them with something else on your mind. You'd make an even worse impression."

Ciel remained quiet, seeing some logic in Sebastian's reasoning. But, like, he said, they were unimportant clients, so why the need to make a good impression? What was most important to him right now was to keep him occupied and keep his mind active so he does not fall asleep again.

"If you tire yourself out too much, you'll be prone to sleep a lot sooner than late tonight. Are you sure?"

Seeing his butler's point, and being too tired to think of any rebuke, Ciel grunted softly in defeat, reaching for a blueberry scone. The last thing he needed was to be tired, and he knew all too well how exhausted he would feel after a day's worth of paperwork and negotiations. Sebastian made a note to change his master's bedsheets that afternoon, seeing the pastry crumbs fall all over them.

"So I shall cancel your meetings after all." Sebastian smiled faintly, bowing politely before turning and leaving the room.

The rest of the day turned out to be as uneventful and slow-moving as any other day for most of the residents of the Phantomhive residents. Only for its master was time flying faster than ever, and it seemed no sooner than he had blinked his eyes that it was night, the moon suspended high in the sky, beckoning his eyelids to close for another starry night.

"Bocchan, are you tired?" Sebastian asked, watching Ciel's drooping eyelids struggling to keep themselves up. "You may sleep. I will be here."

Ciel turned to Sebastian with half-open eyes. "So you're going to sleep for once, aren't you?" Ciel asked softly, his voice no longer having the strength to be clearly audible. If it were not for Sebastian's unearthly hearing, it could have been a mere murmur.

"I remember your order this morning, Bocchan, but even if I sleep I would not be allowed entrance into the dream for it is not yours, and the owner of that dream will bar any other consciousness from coming in." Sebastian gathered. "Perhaps it would be better if I stayed by your side, awake."

Ciel stared at the faint shadow beside his bed, unmoving. He was unsure if it was safe to close his eyes for more than a second. He had no idea how unbelievably tired he felt, although he had spent most of the day slacking off and not doing any real physical or mental work. However, perhaps if Sebastian was there, he would be alright.

"You will stay here the whole night?" Ciel asked in solace.

"Until you next open your eyes." Sebastian reassured his young master. "If the Phantomhive butler couldn't do such a thing, where would we be?"

As Sebastian stood guard by his master's bed, the latter took to an uneasy sleep where he, indeed, had been sucked into another dream that was not his own. Or rather, nightmare.

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><p><strong>TAAADAAAAA. Sorry About the shortness of this chapter. I wrote this on foolscap with much fewer lines, and in fine pen which is actually quite thick which makes my writing big so yeah. ._. It's okay. The next chapter will probably be longer.<strong>

**Gosh I fail as a writer. Seriously. Only promocat has been reviewing. (ilu. :D)  
><strong>**I'd bet hardly anybody reads this. Psh. No matter. I will just, finish this, and get started on my next story.  
>Why am I talking about finishing this when I'm nowhere near it? T_T<strong>

**I'll also be making amendments to my previous chapters. I have spotted some very hideous typological errors indeed...**

**Thank you for reading! Please review! :)))) It makes my day, though I hardly have any (reviews).**


	8. The White Phoenix

**HEYYY! next chapterrrrr. ^^ One of my favourite chapters. :D Or rather, dream. Like, I actually dreamt of a part of this and I was like WOAH OHMYGOD *stuffs into fanfic***

**Heehee. So yeap. :D I don't own Kuroshitsuji. Anything. Related to it. Except this fanfic. Yeah. Enjoy! *ohmygod Lacias is so hot. I should draw him sometime... :)***

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><p>Ciel was running. He was running in a garden smelling strongly of grass, damp soil and water vapour lting thick in the air. The running figure did not find the humidity useful, his hair sticking to his head, eyepatch slipping off, beads of sweat and condensation trickling down most of the exposed parts of his head and neck. It was also uncomfortably warm, but he kept running; away from what he did not know. He just had to keep running, or so his body felt. However, he realised, after an exceptionally long time, that he had no reason to run. None that he knew of, at least. He panted heavilt, petite body hardly accustomed to such physical work.<p>

What had he been running from?

After a short rest, he continued walking in the direction he was running in; through the unkept, neverending garden. He started wondering what gave him the impression that it was a garden. It was as if he knew everything that was going on, but didn't seem to remember how he had come to know all this. It was a confusing feeling, one that felt distubingly familiar. It was the same feeling of fear and insecurity.

How he hated feeling so weak, this loneliness and fright of god-knows-what. Deep inside, he knew that if he called out for the only help he had, the demon would not come. But this was hidden under layers of superficial belief nurtured from years of trust, too deep to be reached by the hands that didn't try.

He had not walked very far when he saw a huge, white bird cage gleaming in the forest clearing ahead. It was big enough to fit half of the phantomhive mansion, and enclosed a white phoenix perched on a suspended, white rod. Majestic and shining, like the cage itself, the statue had the clipped tips of his wings pressing against the bars of the cage, stretched out as far as it could, which was only a little more than halfway. Its beak and eyes were wide open, as if crying, an unmistakeable look of anguish on its face. It could go nowhere, feet chained down, trapped in bars of fear, obscuring the world from its existence.

Why did he understand how it felt so well? Why was he so sure?

He walked closer to the frozen bird, ensnared in a moment of fear and rage. He could almost feel the same desperation and pain pulsating through the blood in his veins, into the core of his heart and out.

"Isn't its grief so alluring and sweet? The affliction and distress, so pleasurably beguiled in a world of torment and despair." A voice sighed longingly. This was followed by rustling footsteps to Ciel's right, where a man with a long, spiked crescent of alabaster hair stepped forth from behind a tree, square-ended coattails flowing behind him, wings folded into his back.

Lacias.

But Ciel could not remember just yet. He had forgotten a great deal of their last meeting, such that recognition was only vague. The knowledge of this demon's existence lay somewhere in Ciel's mind, though, just not very accessible. It was just enough for Ciel to say he had met, or at least seen him before.

"Remember me?" The white-haired demon asked, giving his trademark flick of a tail. He shot a sidewards glance at his guest for a short while, before turning back, opening his mouth to reply himself when Ciel muttered,

"Yeah," and a pause. "I do."

"Hoho, so you do." Lacias crowed. "I am honoured."

It was said in a haughty voice, none of the honour he claimed residing in the tone of his voice. Ciel felt the strong urge to scoff, but found that he had forgotten how.

"It's nice you remember dreams so well. Most people act as if it was the first time they've met me for five or six successive meetings. Of course, you will eventually come to remember this more clearly anyway, because there will soon be solid evidence of our meetings."

Ciel looked at him questioningly. "Solid evidence?"

Lacias blinked once or twice, staring at Ciel, before laughing breathlessly and a gentle facepalm, shaking his head in certain amusement.

"Ah, forgive me. There is not any just yet, but there will be after you grant me a particular favour."

He smiled slyly as he said this, while Ciel looked on, unaware of the dazed expression plastered across his face. The memory was crystal clear now, somehow. The long, neverending road. The mist. The eternal, white platform. The same, unveiled shadow standing before him, icy smirk and baneful eyes, sending chills down the young master's fragile spine.

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><p><strong>YAAAAYYYY OMG MY FAVED CHAPTAH. :D HAHAHAA. i have decided to translate the chapter titles to english. :) heehee. *has gotten over obsession with spanish*<strong>

Please do review! . Review okay? Okay. DEAL. NOW REVIEW OMG. :D unless. well. you dislike this story and have no intention of continuing to read this.

._.

IF NOT THEN REVIEW OKAY? :D ILYKTHXBAI!


	9. Another Bird

**wahaha! 2 chapters in a day! 3 Well. I mean, I've already written it and all... No big deal. :) I should really plan for the chapters ahead. I find myself getting stumped by a lot of things. I should just start watching Kuroshitsuji again and refresh my memory. Trololol. Well, here you go.**

**I don't own Kuroshitsuji. Or anything copyrighted and related to it. I just own this story. :D**

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><p>"Will you form a contract with me?" The demon asked.<p>

The mockery and arrogance in his voice had almost all gone. Ciel felt as if he had walked straight into a solid stone wall. There was no way he would form a contract with him. He had no reason to. He did not know the demon's reasons either. There was no discussion of conditions whatsoever. Most importantly, he already had a contract with Sebastian.

This thought felt thoroughly used and false, as though it were all just a lie he used to comfort himself time and again.

"There's not much to it." the same, resigned voice sighed, its owner turning to face Ciel who was staring attentively at the white phoenix in the cage, eyes determined not to look at the one talking to him.

"You will help me escape from hell. I will restore your contract in return."

The grave tone in which that was said did not seem to reach Ciel. Once fixated eyes widened in shock once again, another feeble attempt to be level-headed as he turned to alabaster demon and grabbed the words nearest to the surface of his mind and threw it out of his mouth.

"Ridiculous. There is no way."

Lacias sniggered, swishing his tail here and there. "I thought so. Why would that be?"

"For one, I have no idea how to help you escape," Ciel said stiffly. "And even then, I wouldn't anyway. Whoever imprisoned you must have had a good reason for doing so. For committing heinous crimes perhaps?"

There was an uncomfortable silence after this was said. Ciel came up with his last reason that had supposedly been the most obvious one.

"I don't need you to restore Sebastian and my contract. Our word and trust is more than enough. A cheap barrier like yours will not be enough to nullify our contract" he said, the Phantomhive's voice now significantly stronger.

"Hold it right there young man," Lacias spoke patiently. "What did you say about this barrier of mine again?"

Ciel remained silent, believing he had been clear enough.

"Now, as you said just now, I have been imprisoned for eternity in hell to starve in immortality, as I have expected Sebastian to have told you. Suppose it was because I have, indeed, committed countless heinous crimes, unforgiveable, atrocious, nefarious ones in existence; would you truly think that they would have imprisoned me in order to merely _punish _me?"

There was a pause where Lacias waited for a response. However, there was none.

"Indeed, I have executed the stated, flagrant actions; mainly casting barriers over human-demon contracts, which had not been a crime until I had, supposedly, abused this power of mine, and committed Theft of Prey, the unspoken law of demon's. I find this law utterly ridiculous, by the nature of us. We do not live by any laws. We live by our own principles which honour only our pride and life and those alone. My sole power to cast barriers had been my pride, my source of life. Yet, I have been exiled because of living by my own principles, as other demons all do.

"The unfairness of this, do you not see? I clever one like yourself should. Such like children your age _sleeping in their parents' beds every night_, _listening to their mothers tell stories before they sleep. _While you, dear child, sleep alone in your oversized bed, one you find so cold under your thick blankets, a night so quiet cuh that it is filled with your breathing alone."

Lacias laughed briefly to himself, sadistcally amused by the look on Ciel's face. Indescribable contempt and fear buried in the cores of his eyes. The injustice. He knew Ciel felt it more than he wanted to.

"They imprison me because they fear me." Lacias continued, breaking off from the subject that had sparked such fright and agony in his guest. "They want to make sure I don't run rampant with my powers of blackmail. They are afraid. They are _weak_. They have no courage in themselves. They remove anyone who threatens their existence by force. Contemptuous, their actions are. Disgusting and abhorrent, their dastardly cowardice drives beings like myself into cages they have, rolling about in their grimy hands like dies."

Lacias looked up at the white phoenix, trapped and crying. His eyes were narrowed, eyebrows furrowed, mouth bent in a frown so unlike his usual, annoying smirk. His face was overflowing with indignance and abomination, his tail now stiff in anger, wings evidently tensed, fists clenched. His teeth were grinding against each other in his mouth, Ciel could tell, grinding in the repulsive fury seething from him.

"I will use you to free myself. Break this cage. My wings have grown back, due to their neglect, they forget to clip my wings and tighten the ropes around my ankles. Snap these bars in two," Lacias paused, in dramatic effect, "Candor and brazen I shall be once more, my captors found in dried blood hanging in cages of their own."

Ciel realised the bird in the cage was Lacias. Said demon's unmistakeable infurity had promptly been replaced by madness as this was said, as the demon started laughing haughtily to himself at the thought of his keepers dead.

"My barrier, now set upon your contract, will cut off its very existence from every memory and trace of it in this universe, with the exception of me, and you, and Sebastian. Ciel Phantomhive. You are aware that now, your sould is free for all to claim? You are no longer connected to your beloves Sebastian in any deeper way than servant and master. Demons will come and make you their prey-"

"Sebastian will protect me." Ciel cut off.

"Naive, naive child. What makes you think Sebastian is capable of protecting you?" Lacias scoffed loudly, glaring at Ciel. "Sebastian, capable of protecting you from the entire demon world? Who do you think he is, some kind of _king_? He is not. Invincible. He is not. The most powerful. There are thousands more powerful. More intelligent. More perfect then Sebastian ever will be. So very, dreadfully, naive, to think that Sebastian would be able to protect from anything and everything. All he has done is save you from those measly humans. They are utterly pathetic. Just like him. The only reason why you have not been attacked by any other demon was because of that contract of yours that others like myself cease to bother, not wanting to breach the _Theft of Prey_.

"And now." Lacias snarled. "You will form the contract. There will be no questions asked. Besides the restoration of your contract, once I am free I will cause neither of you any trouble. Is there any other condition you have?"

Ciel was mildly impressed by Lacias' eloquence, despite being so worked up. He had the depth to negotiate, understanding that he was not to be an unreasonable brat. Of course, it was no time to be impressed. Ciel had to make a decision now, or he would never wake up. His mind was fairly blank, to a point where he could not form speech in his throat.

Lacias waited, anger slowly ebbing away. He stared intently at the white, crying phoenix, one that depicted himself. Ironic, how the statue was shining purely white, how it was of an elegant phoenix, both possible symbols of absolute innocence and purity when it illustrated horrifying rage and hatred, fear and enmity, one of the unkept, demented soul of a demon.

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><p><strong>Well, that was angsty. xD well. Here you go. :) The last chapter for today. I might write more tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to update this online. Oh well. JUst wait and see. :) Please review! And put us on favourites and story alerts if you want. 3<strong>

**Ilu all. :D REVIEW OKAY? *gestures wildly to 'Review this Chapter' button below***

**Just click it and say some encouraging words. :U It isn't a lot, is it? :D Well it is if you're on a laggy computer... But please review f you can! :)))) Okay okay okay? :D**


	10. Rules and Regulations

**HEHE. :D I am BAAAAAACK with a NEW CHAPTER! :D It took me near 4 whole days to write this thing. -.- Partially because I've been busy with A LOT of writing. : I remember the days when I'd be dying to write something. I wish I didn't have so many things at once. T-T I've this story, and my commonwealth essay, couple of other essays from my tuition class, and competitions. Yes, notice the plural? Competitions, one of which is to write a 500,000 word novel. *sigh* Wish me luck.**

**I still had time to write this though. :) Had a bit of a writer's block. Yours truly had no idea what was going to happen either. :D Like much of what I write, every chapter is pretty much impromptu. I surprise myself sometimes. :D Hoho. Now I shall commence copying and pasting my story from my piece of ripped, crumpled, dried from being soaked in the rain, paper that had definitely seen better days. :)**

**I do not own Kuroshitsuji in any way whatsoever. :) Enjoy!**

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><p>"You're taking an extravagant bit of my time to decide, aren't you?" Lacias muttered irritably. Ciel did not speak. He was busy ending the train of thought that passed through the perfect escape plan and brought it to him. Well, some of it at least. He knew what he had to do. Just request something completely impossible, and insist that nothing else. Only then, he would have to let him off because a contract won't work unless both parties were willing. He would get away scot-free, like nothing ever happened. He would forget ever feeling alone, ever. It would be okay.<p>

Or so it seemed.

He found himself awash with emotion for a few moments at the thought of feeling alone, the naivety of thinking he would never feel alone again. It felt painful; almost physically. There was a numb thumping in tandem with his heartbeat near his temples. He disliked this feeling of emptiness. Of missing somebody, or something, which in this case would probably be Sebastian. Ciel, however, was more than just reluctant to admit this.

He wondered why.

He wanted so badly to wish the Sebastian could be by his side all the time, including these discriminating dreams of his. Of course, the alabaster demon would be fully capable of this. It was no big deal. It was just opening the gates to places such as this overgrown garden, or the crossroads of the previous eternal road, a little wider, just enough for one more person to fit through. He wanted so much to wish for Sebastian to be here fighting for him, killing the loneliness eating him inside out. Only Sebastian had the right to consume any part of his soul. At these thoughts, the depths of his nose burned painfully, pushing out tears from the child's reserved, inactive glands. It hurt very much to cry, unaccustomed to the foreign symbol of weakness. It was so long since he had felt the salty droplets sliding down his cheeks.

It was only then that Ciel realised he was crying. He felt so weak it was revolting. He felt disgusted by the tears damp on his cheeks. He knew too well that he had long forsaken the liberty to cry.

He hastily rubbed his tears off his face and out of his eyes, sniffing a few times and mildly regaining his composure. He thought, with valid reason, that Lacias would be laughing, or at least smirking at his unmanly act that had completely shattered whatever little stability he managed to pull off. However, the demon did not have the slightest trace of one on his pale face. as Ciel realised in surprise when he looked up. Said demon had an unreadable, stony expression on his face. It was solemn, quiet and as unreadable as before, something that made Ciel's insides squirm.

"Are you sure of what you're asking me?" Lacias finally replied. The question came softly, lightly, not burdened with any worry or hesitation. His face was horrifically tranquil and peaceful, nothing of the disbelief Ciel had expected projected on the former's face.

Ciel's plan was not working. Come to think of it, it was a pretty naive one. Not just pretty, it was _too _naive. But the boy did not think so, for his mind was not capable of specifically distinguishing what was absurd and what was not, deciding if something made sense or did not. He was ensnared in a dream that was not his mind's to command, and like they always say, dream on.

"Revive his parents," Lacias turned to the statue, looking at it as if in due respect for it, "the boy says." He said in an unnaturally loud, gloating voice.

"So be it," Lacias said, leering at Ciel with his red, vulpine eyes. "You have named your condition, so have I. There is nothing more to stall this wonderful moment any longer."

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><p><strong>And I am doneeee. :)))) I am so obsessed with this thing. ._. too obsessed. HAHA. My mind is swimming with it. I shall start on the next chapter pronto. :3 When I say that, I mean now. :D Which is good news to you! For all you know you might get another chapter by the end of today! 3 I wonder what's going to happen next. O_o<strong>

**That's that. 8) Remember to review! And thanks for reading~**


	11. Confusion in its glory

**Meow. :P It's been a pretty long time, hasn't it? :P RL hasn't been very kind to me lately so... *sigh***

**I do not own Kuroshitsuji. :) Enjoy~**

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><p>Sebastian stood by Ciel's bedside, watching his master being taken away. He knew the back of Ciel's neck was scorching as of then, as if his skin was being burnt away. Neither of them expected the need for the younger to go through so much pain a second time.<p>

_The need... huh?_

Yeah right.

Tears brimming over, Ciel's eyes opened, revealing his ebony eye once again. It hurt Sebastian to look at it, so he averted his gaze slightly to Ciel's nosebridge so that it would look as if he were still maintaining eye contact.

"Bocchan," Sebastian said softly. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am." he snapped back, touching the back of his neck gingerly.

Sebastian was slightly taken aback by his master's harsh tone. It seemed to cut into him, much alike daggers, or his very own butter knives. It was depressing. He knew the last thing a good butler would expect is respect from his master, and he never did. However, this time, he'd thought Ciel would at least be truthful, see that his concern was genuine, more real than other times.

"Would you like some time alone? You seem tired. Perhaps now Lacias would give up pestering you, and it would be safe to sleep."

"Yeah, whatever." Ciel grunted, ruffling his hair and lying back onto the bed, turning away from his butler. There was nothing but coldness in his voice, behaviour, ice that froze Sebastian to the bone, that formed icicles over his own snowcovered heart and soul.

He bowed and took his leave, striding back to the servants' quarters, fighting back the emotions clamouring inside him. He wanted to tear the house apart in his frustration, but he could not. He was this mansion's butler, and the last thing a good butler would do is to wreck his master's house. It was quite stupid really, to even think of tearing the house apart with his demonic strength. He guessed he was just pissed off by Lacias and Ciel, and himself for feeling so disconcerted and being so passive. None of it was a lot of his fault, but it was probably because if this that he felt angry, because he was bearing the brunt of something he was not guilty of.

Such were his thoughts as he walked into his rarely-inhibited room. They did not make much sense, his thoughts. He gave up trying to be logical, and finding the reason why he felt like just opening the window there and then and spewing out a waterfall's worth of profanities in every language he knew. (which was a lot)

He felt so confused. It was his pride, the posession of such a delectable, quivering, revenge-wrought and tormented soul. Yet, this agonised soul was so unbearably arrogant and prideful. It was to be expected, the insensitivity and tendency to take everything for granted. But from such a young child that he, for once, truly cared for; so much more than many other times, he felt hurt - something foreign to him, something he. in his life as a demon, had never experienced before. It was in his time with Ciel that he had, for the first time, felt genuine

happiness, vengefulness, anger, indignance, amusement for the first time in his very long life.

One always has somebody he despises, another he loves, and yet another he can never live without. In this phase of his life it ended up being all the same, one person. It was this young master he despised for his insolence and overestimation of himself. Without him, the child would be nothing. Ciel showed no understanding of that.

Last this crossed his mind he had been bound by a contract, so his forgiveness for the wounds to his pride was forced. Now he was free. He had indeed been ordered to serve as a butler till the day the soul was taken, but now the contract was sealed, he was free to disobey his orders. There was no longer any such obligation. He could do as he wished. Sure, if he left he would be deprived of the most delicious soul in centuries, or milleniums to come. But he could wait. He was immortal. Furthermore, he would no longer have to tolerate the unbearable insolence of the boy.

He was free to go.

Again, he did not see why this boy could injure him so emotionally in such a short span of time, with behaviour similar to most of his previous masters.

Torn between emotions and logic, Sebastian did not know what to do. He glanced aound the small, desolate room, spying a rose in full bloom. It was snow white, like the flakes drifting down outside, from a sky far away. He took slow steps towards the flower, biding his time, picking it up, glancing at it before raising his gloved hands, touching the petals with his fingers.

I never thought I would have to resort to such lowly human methods to make my decsions for me, Sebastian thought, as he tore the first white petal gently from the rose.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry for this kind of sucky chapter. : I promise the next two chapters will be better. xD More angsty and everythin y'know.<strong>

**I decided to put more emphasis on Sebastian because I seem to have neglected him for the past... 10 chapters? I don't know how long the empphasis will last, perhaps the next two or three chapters or so, then I'll like, alternate them. :) They also _might _be slightly longer than usual, because I have a lot of time now. And a lot of foolscap.**

**Heyheyhey if you gais ever watch the musicals, realise that Sebastian is super hot. His musical actor is Matsushita Yuya, and he is freaking hot/cute. :D Ohmygod. *fangirling* Please don't say he looks like a girl. :**

**OHMYGOD HE'S SO HOT. *O***

**Right and for those of you who watch Bleach, I have a new fic underway. :] It's a funny one, or supposedly.**

**Please support Yu-chan~ *0* and his hotness. And glory. And everything. And watch Quartet if you ever become a fan. :) Of course maybe you shouldn't if you dislike violence and blood, though I doubt it if you watch Kuroshitsuji. O_o It's not even NC16, it's like, NC17, for violence and some sexual references, although I'm 14 myself. ^^"**

**Wowww. Long ramble. xD I'd better be going. :) Tata~**

**OHHHHH. REMEMBER TO REVIEW OKAY! :D ILY LOOOAAADDDSSS. REALLY! *shoves review button in face again***


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